Revival Time for Initiative
Government is reviving community policing.
The assurance was made by the Minister for Defence and National Security, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, at the National Crime Board consultation for the Southern/Eastern Division at the Nasinu Town Council office, Valelevu, yesterday.
All community policing chairpersons were present to make their presentations to the minister. They all supported community policing in their areas.
Josefa Mataika, the chairman of the Nasinu Policing Community, said they supported the Fiji Police Force and all those working on crime prevention in the Nasinu area.
He said Nasinu was a very densely-populated area and they needed a bigger Police presence.
Currently, the ratio is one Police officer for 971 people in the area Mr Mataika said they were organising programmes for youths in the area to keep away from criminal activities. He asked Ratu Inoke to increase the number of police officers in the Nasinu area. Nasinu Town Council special administrator Mosese Kama said he fully supported community policing. He said the council had plans for projects in the Nasinu area to help youths.
Ratu Inoke and the Fiji Police Force have been conducting consultations for the Southern/Eastern Division on Tuesday and Wednesday this week (March 20-21). Crime Prevention Committee leaders and members of the public came out in numbers for an open dialogue with the Minister for Defence and National Security in Suva, Navua, Nausori and Nasinu yesterday.
At these consultations Ratu Inoke highlighted that crimes against public morality, including rape and defilement, assaults, criminal intimidation against other persons, crimes in relation to properties, were at intolerable levels throughout Fiji.
He reminded the public that faithbased organisations played a vital role in moulding moral and ethical character and religious leaders needed to be engaged for a renewed drive to help improve the moral and ethical fabric of communities. Committee leaders highlighted constraints such as shortage of police officers, lack of or outdated police facilities, marine transport, street lighting, general lack of resources or misaligned resourcing.
They called for additional resources and support from the Government to boost the effectiveness and participation of crime prevention committees within communities throughout Fiji.
The Police Symposium is taking place next Monday, March 26, at Nasova, Suva.